Faithful flock to Saudia Arabia’s Grand Mosque during Hajj

Every year, millions of people visit the Al-Masjid Al-Haram mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Also known as the Sacred Mosque or the Grand Mosque, it houses several important Muslim artifacts, including the Black Stone, the Kaaba and the Zamzam Well.

The pilgrimage to Mecca, called Hajj, is one of the five pillars of Islam and is required for all Muslims that are healthy and financially stable.

Though the annual journey to this spot is older than Prophet Muhammad himself, the city remains a cultural symbol for Islam that more than quadruples the mosque’s attendance in the months of pilgrimage.